gremlins 2: the new batch

[Prodigy]

Originally Posted by bahimiron

Mancow Muller (who sucks, yes) always talked about having seen a cut of Gremlins that was exceptionally gory and disturbing that they cut all to hell to get a rating from the MPAA. Now Mancow is not known for not being a complete douchebag, but has anyone ever heard or seen anything of an original cut of Gremlins that was just super intense?

Don't know about that but what I do know from the audio commentary is that Gremlins as written by Columbus was originally a really scary horror flick with monsters who weren't cute or funny. Then came Steven Spielberg.

[Chris]

One of my favorite lines from the movie:

Canned voice on the loudspeaker "Fire: The Untamed Element, Oldest of Man's Mysteries, Giver of warmth, Destroyer of forests, right now *this* building is on fire."

[Telefrog]

What does it for me is Leonard Maltin reviewing Gremlins in Gremlins 2. Awesome.

[Armando Penblade]

God, that was so good!

I just rented and watched this with a friend and we spent the entire time laughing our asses off.

Watching Gizmo "run" in some of the early scenes is also one of the cutest things ever put to film.

[Gordon Cameron]

Originally Posted by Prodigy

Don't know about that but what I do know from the audio commentary is that Gremlins as written by Columbus was originally a really scary horror flick with monsters who weren't cute or funny. Then came Steven Spielberg.

Whatever "cuteness" is in the original Gremlins might have saved it from schlock obscurity, now that I think about it. If it were merely scary it might have been just another Leprechaun-type throwaway. What actually resonates now, more than adorable Gizmo, is the backdrop -- suburban America at Christmastime. Spielberg was of course the poet of suburbia in those days. I chiefly remember the opening scenes establishing the town, set to the strain of a Phil Spector Christmas song. Also, though the film sometimes focuses on the cuteness or on the Gremlins's wacky antics, I always found Stripe to be a genuinely creepy villain.

I'm skeptical of any assertion that Spielberg might have ruined something created by Columbus, as intervening years have shown that Columbus isn't one tenth the filmmaker Spielberg is, the latter's considerable flaws notwithstanding.

[Prodigy]

Originally Posted by Gordon Cameron

I'm skeptical of any assertion that Spielberg might have ruined something created by Columbus, as intervening years have shown that Columbus isn't one tenth the filmmaker Spielberg is, the latter's considerable flaws notwithstanding.

Actually I was not trying to imply that Spielberg ruined the movie, as I love the first Gremlins and the juxtaposition of Christmas/family stuff and horror. The scene with the mother in the kitchen has to be one of my favorite - ever.

[Hans Lauring]

I agree with Gordon on both Spielberg/Columbus and Gremlins.

The mix of cute and horror is what makes Gremlins stand out - there's plenty of nasty deaths and even though we only see the gore when it's the gremlins, it's still pretty dark.
Just remember why Phoebe Cates hates christmas.

And a line in The New Batch I always liked was the commercial for the new version of Casablanca.
Gremlins 2 has just as many crazy movie references as Amazon Women on the Moon, but in a more organized setting making for a better vehicle for the stuff. The actual plot is not nearly as important.

[Tim James]

Why are Web 2.0 sites so poorly designed? I can't figure out how to see other articles that are just about The New Cult Canon.

Any webmaster that lists articles by letter instead of organizing them into categories ought to take a pay cut.

[BDGE]

Actually I do believe Lucas/Speilberg ushered in the PG-13 rating first with Temple of Doom...(or so "they" say on the Indy Jones DVD boxset documentary a few years back)

As for Gremlins 2, it surprisingly still holds up, caught it randomly on TV a few months ago and was just as engaged at 30 as I was as a pre-teen.

[Rimbo]

Ahhh, that's right... it was Temple of Doom. Although Temple of Doom was rated PG as released to theaters, it was certain scenes in it (which gave me nightmares at the time) that helped justify the PG-13 cause (if not create it outright).

[BobJustBob]

Originally Posted by Hanzii

Just remember why Phoebe Cates hates christmas.

Heh, that also leads to a couple of good jokes in Gremlins 2, like her being flashed on... President's Day, was it?

[DrCrypt]

Fan creates absolutely friggin' incredible replacement "film break" scene for Gremlins 2:

http://www.poetv.com/video.php?vid=42631

Make sure to watch the making of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDvBVFv-7LM

[Armando Penblade]

That is absolutely hilarious. Seriously, that is awesome.

[nabeel]

Wow, great job for the time and budget he had.